The official blog of Dawud Walid, a leading voice for Muslims & Islam in Michigan. Disclaimer: Views and articles posted on this website are those of their authors and do not necessarily represent the views of CAIR or blog owner. Contact at dwalid1971@gmail.com for comments, questions, media inquires or booking for speaking engagements.

5) The Tamil Tigers, a Hindu/Marxist group, had been the most prolific suicide bombing group for the past three decades until the recent disbandment.

6) From 1980 to 2005 according to the FBI, only 6% of domestic terrorist acts were committed by Muslims. 7% were committed by extremist Jews. Thus, 94% of domestic terrorism during that time, including 9/11, was committed by NON-MUSLIMS.

7) Muslims have been the biggest victims of terrorist attacks worldwide since 9/11.

Pope sounds warning over airport body scans

The head of the Roman Catholic Church spoke out against the use of body scanners at airports, saying human dignity must be preserved even as countries attempt to protect their citizens against acts of terrorism.

Pope Benedict XVI , making his comments during an audience with airport workers and officials at the Vatican on Sunday, did not specifically use the words body scanner in his address, according to reports in U.K. newspapers the Daily Telegraph and the Guardian.

But he said that even when facing the threat of terrorism, airport security officials should not forget to respect “the primacy of the human person.”

“[With] every action, it is above all essential to protect and value the human person in their integrity,” he told the representatives from the aviation industry.

The United States began using the scanners capable of detecting items hidden under clothing at airports as part of new security protocols put in place in the wake of the failed bombing attempt on a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit on Christmas Day.

Canada and European countries have followed suit and begun installing their own scanners, particularly for flights destined for the United States.

The Pope is not the first religious leader to speak out against the scanners.

Muslims urged to choose pat-down over scanner

The Fiqh Council of North America, an Islamic group with membership in Canada and the United States, said earlier in February it believed the body scanners were “against the teachings of Islam, natural law and all religions and cultures that stand for decency and modesty.”

The group urged Muslim travellers to choose to be patted down by airport security rather than go through the scanners.

Canada is in the process of installing 44 scanners to be used on U.S.-bound passengers selected for secondary screening at Canadian airports.

The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority has said the scanners would protect the privacy of the passenger, and that the officer viewing the image would do so in a separate room and never see the actual traveller.

The focus on security measures stems from the failed attempt by a Nigerian man to set off a bomb on a Detroit-bound flight on Christmas Day.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, is accused of trying to ignite the bomb on the Northwest Airlines flight. Officials said he has told U.S. investigators he received training and instructions from al-Qaeda operatives in Yemen.

After reading several commentaries about yesterday’s terrorism attack by reported tea bagger type Joseph Stack, it dawned on me that this guy is the first American citizen to commit a domestic suicide terrorism attack.

It will be interesting to see who his political heroes were, what were his affiliations, etc.

I plan on writing a satirical piece soon using the same stereotypes said about Muslims but using tea baggers instead and replacing let’s say Mr. Abdul-Muttalab (who couldn’t even successfully kill himself) with the late Mr. Stack.

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 2/18/10) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) tonight called the apparent airborne suicide attack on an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) office in Austin, Texas, an act of terror.

Before taking off in the light plane that he allegedly used to attack the IRS office, Joseph A. Stack reportedly set fire to his own home and posted an anti-government screed on the Internet that was signed “Joe Stack (1956-2010).” At least 13 people were injured in the attack. Two of the victims are reported in critical condition. Stack is presumed dead.

Whenever an individual or group attacks civilians in order to make a political statement, that is an act of terror, said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. Terrorism is terrorism, regardless of the faith, race or ethnicity of the perpetrator or the victims. We pray for the speedy recovery of those injured in the attack.

He said the USA PATRIOT Act defines terrorism as any action intended (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion, or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping, and (C) occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the U.S.”

Awad noted that if a Muslim had carried out the IRS attack, it would have surely been labeled an act of terrorism.

CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

A man named Joseph Andrew Stack today performed a suicide airplane crash into a a nine story building today in Texas.

Stack according to media reports left a suicide note on the Internet attacking US authorities, and the building which he slammed the airplane contained a federal tax office.

The White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs said that it appears that this attack was not terrorism related.

Now wait one minute!

Stack, whom we will learn more about later, appears to be a White Christian that went on an anti-government rant before crashing a plane into a building with government officials, but he wa’s simply suicidal, not a terrorist?

Let’s imagine if Stack was named Husayn Ali Abdullah who went on an anti-government rant then slammed a plane into a building. What do you think the White House and media’s response would be?